SUMMER 2017 9
will spend walking to amenities ( shops - ten minutes , bus - five minutes and light-rail - ten minutes ); on what kind of transport makes people happy ( cycling at 65 %), and what kind makes people fat ( commuting = 4kg ) and far more besides . In fact , there are enough statistically validated examples for you to win almost any argument on this topic .
Many people reading this book will already be believers and for us , having persuaded our client that a walkable suburb is a good idea , the science and metrics that will help guide achieving this will be the book ’ s biggest contribution .
For me , I would have liked more on this , and fewer sorry tales . However , I am pleased to have a well-thumbed copy on my shelf ; and while it isn ’ t a page-turner , whether you read it in one sitting or dip into it sporadically I promise you will enjoy doing so and probably learn stuff ; and I can ’ t fault its breadth , research , or intent . So it ’ s $ 20 well spent at Amazon . � Reviewed by Neil Challenger , January 2017
HAPPY CITY : TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES THROUGH URBAN DESIGN BY CHARLES MONTGOMERY FARRAR , STRAUS AND GIROUX , N Y ; 2013 358 PGS .
A discussion about Bogota , Colombia ’ s successes in prioritizing people over cars and creating public open space sets the direction for this book , which early on quotes city Mayor Enrique Penalosa , who said :
“ Great public space is a kind of magical good . It never ceases to yield happiness . It is almost happiness itself .”
Having set the agenda , the rest of this book is spent discussing how to make cities happy places .
Broadly speaking , Montgomery focuses on the commuter suburb , cycling and public transport , public open space , and dense urban living ; alternating stories of where it went wrong with examples of how to do it better . This is a wide sweep which occasionally makes a convoluted argument , but the book ’ s breadth is one of its great strengths and certainly makes for an interesting read as it compares suburbs of walkers with suburbs of commuters , evaluates the cost of cars , public transport and bikes , considers spatial activation , costs of commuting , discusses the contribution of open space and quite a lot more besides .
The book is clearly the product of considerable investigation , and is narrated through a mix of social and spatial research , and a global spread of exemplars ( though most are North American ), backed by numerous details and statistics .
There are , for example , metrics on how long people
Which Tree Where ?
A team of German reseachers at Technische Universatat Dresden have compiled a 400-species database to help people to plant the right tree in the right place in urban areas . The developers say ,“ The underlying software not only incorporates the characteristics particular to each tree species but also accounts for common planning practices , health issues ( particularly in regard to air quality and allergy potential ), and subjective assessments of city residents . It is believed that this information will help shift the focus away from the way trees look towards a focus on biodiversity . The database will be useful for professionals such as city planners and landscape architects , as well as homeowners . citree . ddns . net
ABOVE : Vitium comnisi aut faccata tissum eatur , simusa cullaut apelita tquibusam